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Panel approves expedited contempt process and self‑help forms, declines stand‑alone procedural rules bill
Summary
The task force approved revisions to speed contempt hearings for intentional interference with parenting time and directed the state court administrator to supply forms; members declined to recommend a broad Supreme Court rules bill because it was too vague.
The Child Custody Review Task Force approved two measures to improve access and speed in parenting‑time enforcement and self‑help for litigants, while it declined to recommend a stand‑alone bill directing the Supreme Court to adopt broad family‑law rules.
On contempt, members amended draft 27.0076 to lower the evidentiary threshold language to require the court to find it "has reasonable grounds to believe the act was committed" and to require the court to hold a hearing within 30 days after a contempt request is filed. Judge James Hovey moved the changes and the task force approved them on roll call.
The task force also revised draft 27.0077 to direct the Office of the State Court Administrator to provide forms parties may use to request a contempt citation under chapter 27‑10, to help self‑represented litigants begin enforcement proceedings.
By contrast, members debated draft 27.0078, which would have required the Supreme Court to adopt procedural rules distinct from general civil actions "to govern motion proceedings under this chapter." Some members argued a narrow fix (motion‑practice conformity with existing statutory provisions) would be useful; others said the draft was a blank check that handed too much authority to the judiciary without guidance. A proposed amendment to list specific rule modifications failed and the task force did not recommend 27.0078.
The three approved drafts (27.0074, 27.0075 and 27.0076/27.0077 forms) will be included in the task force's final report to legislative management; the rules draft (27.0078) was not advanced.
